(VOVworld)- General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of China Xi Jinping begins a two-day State visit to Vietnam on Thursday. This is the first trip to Vietnam made by the highest-ranking Chinese Party and State leader in nine years. The visit is significant to Vietnam-China relations.
General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of China Xi Jinping begins a two-day State visit to Vietnam on Thursday |
Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping’s visit to Vietnam takes place amidst positive developments in bilateral ties between Vietnam and China. The two countries are celebrating 65 years of diplomatic ties this year.
Good foundation for political relationship
Vietnam and China have signed a number of cooperative agreements creating a legal foundation for the long lasting relationship between the two countries. They have exchanged more than 200 delegations at the local and central level to enhance mutual understanding and expand bilateral cooperation. Vietnamese Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong visited China last April. President Truong Tan Sang attended activities celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Victory over fascism in Beijing and met with Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping in September. National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung met with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the China National People’s Congress Zhang Dejiang in New York in late August. Chinese Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli visited Vietnam in July, 2015. Through the visits and meetings, the leaders of the two countries reached agreement on directions and ways to promote bilateral ties sustainably in the near future. Cooperation between the two Parties, Ministries, sectors and localities, and people-to-people and youth exchanges have been promoted.
Rapid growth of economic ties
Since 2004, China has been Vietnam’s largest trade partner. Two-way trade has grown rapidly, reaching 49.16 billion USD in the first nine months of this year, 16% more than last year. The two sides held the 9th session of the Vietnam-China Trade and Economic Cooperation Committee in Beijing from October 18 to 21. Vietnam opened its first Trade Promotion Office in Chongqing in May. As of September, China had 1,177 projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of more than 8.4 billion USD, ranking 9th out of 105 countries and territories invested in Vietnam. The two sides convened the first session of the Working Group on Infrastructure Cooperation in Beijing in June, the first ministerial-level session of the Working Group on Infrastructure Cooperation in Beijing from October 12 to 16, and the first session of the Working Group on Financial and Monetary Cooperation in Hanoi in July.
Joint efforts to settle border, territorial disputes
The land border between Vietnam and China and the situation in the Tonkin Gulf are stable. The two sides conducted a 7th round of negotiation on the Agreement of Free Travel of Ships at the mouth of the Bac Luan river, and a 5th round of negotiation on the Agreement on Exploiting and Protecting tourist resources at Ban Gioc Waterfall in Hanoi in October. Vietnam and China have maintained negotiations on maritime issues. During Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to China last April, the two sides agreed to abide by the common perception shared by their leaders and respond to the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China, continue negotiations on Vietnam-China borders, and persistently pursue friendly negotiation to seek fundamental and long-term solutions acceptable to both sides. They agreed to control maritime disputes, fully abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and promptly finalize the Code of Conduct in the East Sea. They agreed not to complicate or expand disputes, promptly deal with arising problems, and maintain Vietnam-China relation, peace, and stability in the East Sea.